One of the Pike River Mine directors has indicated there is a possibility he will contribute to the $3.41 million reparation cost the company was ordered to pay to families of the men who died in the mine three years ago.
But, despite a judge suggesting shareholders also contribute to the cost, the company's largest secured shareholder says chances of it funding the compensation was unlikely. Pike River was on Friday sentenced in the Greymouth District Court for health and safety failings that led to the deaths of 29 miners in November 2010.
Judge Jane Farish ordered Pike River Coal to pay a total of $3.41 million in reparation - $110,000 for the family of each victim and survivors Russell Smith and Daniel Rockhouse.
She also fined the company a total of $760,000 over nine charges. Pike River Coal is in receivership and indicated during sentencing that it had only enough money to pay $5000 to each family.
The directors at the time of the tragedy were John Dow, Stuart Nattrass, Raymond Meyer, Roy Radford, Arun Jagatramka, Dipak Agarwalla, Surendra Sinha and Sanjay Loyalka. None were charged over the tragedy.
